In the report, local Mayor Ünal Çetin congratulates Greeks for helping to boost the island's local economy, with several repatriated families starting up small boutique hotels to make a living. Meanwhile, Turkish and Greek social media users have been coming together under the hashtags #Imvros and #Gokceada to celebrate the island's beauty.

Many Greek families, mostly descendants of ethnic Greeks born and raised on the island from antiquity until the mid-point of the 20th century, still spend their summers in Imbros. These families subsequently emigrated to Greece due to a Turkish state-sponsored campaign of discrimination. The fact that they are moving back despite less-than-perfect relations between Ankara and Athens says much about the scale of the catastrophe that has befallen Greece, as well as the strength of their bond with the island.

Moreover, while bad economic news continues to seep out of the country they left behind, the theme of their return to Gökçeada is one of gradual regeneration and homecoming:

Greece is preparing to hold its first national referendum in more than 41 years. The last time the country came together to vote like this, it was 1974—the so-called Metapolitefsi—and Greece's very transition to democracy was at stake. On June 27, in a national address that's available online with subtitles in several different languages, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced the country's new referendum, set to take place on July 5. The speech came after midnight, after a flurry of emergency meetings, surprising many throughout Greece and the rest of Europe.

The referendum will formally ask Greek citizens to accept or reject a plan submitted by the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund that would extend financial help to Greece but includes two new austerity measures: “reforms for the completion of the current program and beyond” and “preliminary debt sustainability analysis.” The debt-laden country received two bailout packages in 2010 and 2011, but that program expired this week.

Following the midnight announcement, Greeks spent the weekend reacting with a mix of understanding and panic, with thousands of people rushing to ATMs to withdraw money, forcing the national bank to take “significant efforts” to ensure the country's cash supply.

Among the Greek public and in newsrooms around the world, people have struggled to remain calm, battling frustration and anxiety. Within minutes of the Prime Minister's speech, Twitter users introduced the hashtag #Greferendum and #dimopsifisma, which soon became rallying points for expressions of fear, hope, irony, and more about the breaking news:

Zoi Konstantopoulou, the speaker of the parliament, described Greece's new referendum as “a historic initiative taken by the government, 41 years after the inauguration of current Constitution, implementing the direct democracy procedure and demonstrating trust in the people.”

Europe's reaction

In the shadow of the referendum, the atmosphere in Europe is far from pleasant, with Eurogroup officials largely critical of Greece's choice to put the issue to a popular vote. Belgian minister and Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem described the situation as unfortunate, adding that Prime Minister Tsipras’ decision came as a surprise. Similarly, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble stressed:

The Greek government unilaterally ended negotiations. Currently, there is no any basis for further negotiations. None of our partners, with whom I spoke, has any idea of what we can do right now. Nobody sees any possibility for an agreement.

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis wrote on Twitter:

Democracy deserved a boost in euro-related matters. We just delivered it. Let the people decide. (Funny how radical this concept sounds!) — Yanis Varoufakis (@yanisvaroufakis) June 26, 2015

[…] The Eurogroup recalls the significant financial transfers and support provided to Greece over the last years. The Eurogroup has been open until the very last moment to further support the Greek people through a continued growth-oriented programme. The current financial assistance arrangement with Greece will expire on 30 June 2015 […] The euro area authorities stand ready to do whatever is necessary to ensure financial stability of the euro area.

Meanwhile, on June 29, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called on Greek citizens to vote “yes” in the referendum, arguing that a “no” vote would amount voting against Europe. Earlier, on June 26, the Financial Times’ economics correspondent Ferdinando Giugliano tweeted:

Hard to see how the Greek banks can survive a week of uncertainty before a #Greferendum. Capital controls on their way? #Greece

In fact, shortly after Giugliano's comment, Greek officials announced that the country's banks wouldn't open on Monday, June 29, and would remain closed until July 6. During this period, ATM withdrawals will be limited. The Facebook satirical page Plasticobilism immediately took aim at the emergency measure:

“Damn you ATM. Be afraid of empty people, not empty ATMs”. From Facebook page

Turmoil in Greek political scene

Political opponents of Prime Minister Tsipras and his leftist Syriza party wasted no time criticizing his handling of the situation. Fofi Genimmata, the new leader of a rival political party, has already demanded Tispiras’ resignation, calling for snap elections.

Antonis Samaras, a former prime minister and the leader of New Democracy, Greece's main opposition party, has accused Tsipras of irresponsibly isolating the country, while Costas Karamanlis (yet another former prime minister) has warned that Greece would face dire consequences if it breaks with the Eurozone.

The most vital interests of the nation demand that Greece stay within the heart of Europe. The existent EU defects do not negate in any way the value of this strategic orientation. Unwise choices undermine this principle, sending the country on adventures with unpredictable, possibly irreversible consequences.

New Democracy and opposition party PASOK are preparing a motion of censure against the government to prevent the referendum, while far-right Golden Dawn, though it blames the government for the way the situation has evolved, supports the referendum. Twitter user Greek Analyst offered one perspective on the referendum:

The #greferendum by itself is not undemocratic; it's the timing, dishonest question, govt's propaganda &no plan for #Grexit that make it so.

Into the great unknown

Greece is struggling to breathe, and European austerity measures are deeply unpopular. In recent years, unemployment, layoffs, bankruptcies, and even suicides have risen worryingly. The people feel pushed to their limits and consequently reacted in the last elections, in an attempt to abandon the years-old corrupt political status quo. All of these events have brought the country to this moment, the greatest challenge it has faced in its modern history.

As the weight of these issues lead Greeks to the polls next weekend, Europe waits with bated breath to see what the future of European democracy holds for the place it was born.

“Hope is coming” and “Hope has won”: SYRIZA motto before elections (left) and the message after the winning elections of January 25 (right). Source: SY.RIZ.A. official Facebook page

It was around 7 p.m. on January 25, 2015, when the exit polls showed a clear victory for Syriza in Greece's snap elections, which were the result of the previous parliament's failure to cast enough votes to elect a new president as head of state. The political party's post-victory message? “Hope has won.”

People took the streets of Athens to celebrate the historic shake-up of the country's politics. For the first time in modern Greek history since the transition to democracy in 1974 (known as the Metapolitefsi), the political left had come to government and Greece's two big parties, PASOK and New Democracy, were not a part of it.

The debt crisis hit Greece hard, and the country has limped along under unpopular austerity measures prescribed by the so-called Troika–the European Central Bank, the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund — as part of the two bailout packages it received.

For many Greeks, Syriza's election has given them a reason to hope for something better.

‘The government is not afraid of its people’

Syriza formed government with the Independent Greeks (AN.EL.), a conservative populist right-wing party that is “anti-memorandum,” a reference to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Greek government and the Troika outlining the financial conditions that the country would have to meet in exchange for rescue packages.

The newly elected party has since begun pursuing its election promises. On social media, some users expressed their optimism. @kotsos43 tweeted at the new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras:

Unprecedented and unacceptable: [the new government] insists on doing what they said they would before elections.

One of the new government's first actions was to remove the iron fences in front of the Parliament in Athens. “The government is not afraid of the people,” said Giannis Panousis, deputy minister of public order and citizen protection. The iron fences were placed there in 2011 in response to protests taking place in the center of Athens, and have remained there since. This symbolic action was the first promise made real by the new government.

Below is a photo of the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Greek Parliament, without fences, uploaded by Twitter account Dromografos on Twitter:

I disagree with the decision to remove police vans from Exarchia. It's the local architecture. It's like Paris without Eiffel Tower.

The measures were put to the test quickly. On January 31, far-right nationalistic party Golden Dawn marched in Athens, starting from Rigillis Square, in memory of the Imia crisis and the Greek helicopter crash in 1996, allegedly caused by Turkish fire. A bit earlier, the anti-fascist movement held a demonstration in Omonoia Square against Golden Dawn.

Riot police presence was discreet, police officers held no guns and tensions didn't boil over. It was the first time in years that demonstrations were held without an intense presence of police, who didn't hesitate to use violence against protesters in the past. Social media took notice:

A later demonstration on February 5 in Athens against the European Central Bank's decision not to accept Greek bonds in exchange for funding further proved the point. Citizens took part in a peaceful protest, proving that fences were never necessary.

V for Varoufakis

New Minister of Economy Yanis Varoufakis refused to cooperate with the Troika during his official meeting with Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem on January 30. Greek Twitter was set on fire with comments.

On Facebook, a page dedicated to the new minister of economy called “V for Varoufakis,” a reference to the film “V for Vendetta,” earned more than 57,000 likes within a week of its creation at the end of January.

Satirical page on Facebook, dedicated to the new Minister of Economy Yanis Varoufakis. Source: Screenshot from Facebook.

Some pointed out that it seemed to be the first time that the Greek government was actively having a say in negotiations about the debt crisis, as previous governments seemed to be submissive to foreign orders. Journalist Kostas Vaxevanis commented:

Alexis, go to elections next week, achieve a 60% and make everybody crazy, my boy ;-)

Political oaths and no ties

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a self-declared atheist, logged another first with his decision to be sworn in making a political vow, rather than a traditional religious one. There were mixed reactions. Some — mainly his political opponents — considered the move unacceptable, while others didn't seem to be bothered by it or agreed with his choice.

Social media users have also been struck by the refusal of the members of new government, with a few exceptions, to wear ties.

I am looking forward to an enraged announcement from the New Democracy party press office, as Tsipras went to be sworn in without a tie. [ND had previously published an announcement complaining about the prime minister's lack of religious oath]

]]>http://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/02/15/greeks-see-reason-for-hope-after-anti-austerity-syrizas-election/feed/239.0742073 21.8243122Protecting Native American Sacred Siteshttp://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/02/03/protecting-native-american-sacred-sites/
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/02/03/protecting-native-american-sacred-sites/#commentsTue, 03 Feb 2015 11:04:45 +0000http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=462345An original post published on January 29, 2014, on the US Department of Agriculture blog was republished in several websites about Native Americans. It refers to analysis and protection of historical findings at holy grounds of the Lacota tribe and the efforts of Department of Agriculture to cooperate with local leaders and learn from them, in order these very important findings to be listed and preserved effectively.

Our curiosity was palpable in our expressions, we visitors to this South Dakota field, as we pondered the patterns produced by the tops of rocks pressed into grass and soil, patterns tantalizingly organized and purposeful: shapes of things that have been. What stories were held in this small corner of the Black Hills National Forest?

Forest Service staff were guided and educated by Arvol Looking Horse and Tim Mentz, among others:

Many years ago, when he was only 12, Looking Horse had been given the enormous responsibility of being the 19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe. He is a spiritual leader for the Lakota Dakota Na-kota Oyate, the great Sioux Nation. Mentz is a cultural resource expert with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. He was their first Tribal historic preservation officer and continues to be an amazing source of information about cultural sites for his Tribe.

Caption: “Political analysts highlight the danger of a possible attack of Godzilla in Athens, if SYRIZA wins the elections” Meme tweeted by @kgougakis

Greek social media users have been tweeting in overdrive for a month but they've been on fire since January 25, the day of national legislative elections in Greece, which paved the way for the country's new bold 40-year-old prime minister Alexis Tsipras.

Tsipras, a self-described atheist, has made history by politely shunning Greece's traditional religious oath of office from the country's Archbishop. He has also become the youngest prime minister in Greek history since 1865.

The backstory

It all started with the unprecedented failure of the previous parliament to cast enough votes to elect a new president as head of state, which is a mostly ceremonial role. Their move triggered early general elections. The opposition accused the government of sowing fear to win support for the presidential vote and avoid elections, while former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras warned that “the country risked a catastrophic return to the depths of its debt crisis if the government fell” and claimed that “denial to agree on presidential selection is political blackmail”. Τhere was constant fear-mongering by the government and its allies in mainstream media that it would be the “end of the world” if SYRIZA came to government, as speculated by this article on a popular news portal in December 2014:

Everything shows that [the government] will proceed with activities of political terrorism, such as “Syriza will lead us to bankruptcy”, “Syriza will get us out of Eurozone”, “ATMs will run empty, if Syriza wins”, “they will blow us apart” etc. – everything quite similar and known as before!

After the general elections, his party Syriza gathered only 149 out of 151 seats needed for a majority in a parliament of 300, so Tsipras agreed to share power with the populist rightwing party Independent Greeks (who only got 4.74% votes). Analysts are waiting to see how the two parties are going to cooperate; besides their opposition to Troika, they have totally different agendas.

I am NOT happy with SYRIZA deciding to form a coalition with Indep Greeks. They're racist, homophobic, antisemitic loonies. #ekloges2015

In a post titled “Greece wakes up to a different world”, blogger Teacherdude eloquently summarizes the coalition between Syriza and Independent Greeks:

The choice of Independent Greeks has surprised many observers, especially those abroad who find it hard to comprehend a partnership between a radical socialist party and a conservative nationalist one, Yet for Syriza this constitutes the least worst choice given the options available. The most obvious candidate for coalition partner would have been the Greek Communist Party (KKE) but anyone even vaguely aware of Greek politics would have known that such an alliance would have been impossible as KKE would never compromise on its own leftist principles which include leaving the European Union, the Eurozone and NATO.

So, in the end Independent Greeks who are often painted as a collection of right wing conspiracy theorists and borderline racists […] made the cut […]. However, the party led by Panos Kammenos repeatedly made clear its opposition to Troika imposed austerity measures and its participation will perhaps assuage more conservative Greeks that issues such as defence and policing will not be solely decided by a bunch of “wild radicals”. […]

Record-setting Tsipras

Back to the unconventional nature of the new Greek Prime Minister, this article summarizes the many “records” of Tsipras”:

1. Youngest Prime Minister (40 years old). [correction: youngest PM of Modern Greece]
2. First PM born after “Metapolitefsi” [1974]
3. First atheist Greek PM
4. First unmarried Greek PM; he has only made cohabitation agreement.
5. First Greek PM who hasn't baptised his children, but has made a civil naming ceremony.
6. First Greek PM who takes a civil oath instead of the traditional religious oath.
7. First PM to attend swearing-in ceremony tieless.
8. First PM to originate from middle social class and not from traditional “political families”.

In Greece, where Church and State still move hand-in-hand, “every senior office-holder, from socialists to right-wing dictators, has assumed the post with a ritual involving Bibles, crosses and often holy water”. But this year, Alexis Tsipras politely informed the Archbishop that his services wouldn't be required and that a junior cleric would be invited for those who wished to take a religious oath. A breakthrough like this couldn't pass unnoticed in Greece's Twittersphere:

Civil oath, wreath dedication to Greek Resistance fighters’ place of sacrifice. This is not a Greek Prime Minister.

Another political tradition in Greece is the welcoming of the new prime minister by the former one in Maximos Mansion, the official seat of state. But the event wasn't attended by outgoing prime minister Samaras. The event was gravely criticized even by conservatives, including ex-government spokesman Antonaros:

“First party [Syriza]: indignation. Second party [New Democracy]: convenience and comfort. Third party [Golden Dawn]: uneducation. The three characteristics of Greeks. Source: Facebook page “Frappe Ministry”

Last but not least, all eyes are on the far-right Golden Dawn's third place in the Greek Parliament. Seventeen MPs from the party were elected.

#GoldenDawn got ~38.000 votes and one seat less than in 2012. It's a good start, despite it coming 3rd in the #ekloges2015.

]]>http://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/02/03/a-bold-new-prime-minister-sends-ripples-through-greeces-old-political-order/feed/2039.0742073 21.8243122“It Ain't Easy Being Indian” in the USAhttp://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/03/03/it-aint-easy-being-indian-in-the-usa/
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/03/03/it-aint-easy-being-indian-in-the-usa/#commentsMon, 03 Mar 2014 12:12:10 +0000http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=460160Ricey Wild, a Native American blogger at the Indian Country Today, writes about wolf slaughtering in Minnesota, USA.

[…]My beloved friend Melissa came to get me last month to rally against the wolf hunt in Minnesota and everywhere. We went way up north and joined other people who care and are disgusted with the massacre taking place upon the wolf population.

[…]I look at my Mitzi and I can’t tell that her nearest relatives are okay to slaughter just because. I imagined a pack of Mitzi’s being pursued by ‘hunters’ and her wondering what she ever did to them? Why are they murdering her family? So yes, I cried and vowed to make my voice and presence acknowledged..

Her original post, entitled “It ain't easy being Indian”, was published in December 2013 and you can find it here.

]]>http://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/03/03/it-aint-easy-being-indian-in-the-usa/feed/246.7295532 -94.6858978Cyprus Cuts Access to Banks Amid Bailout Crisishttp://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/03/20/cyprus-cuts-access-to-banks-amid-bailout-crisis/
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/03/20/cyprus-cuts-access-to-banks-amid-bailout-crisis/#commentsWed, 20 Mar 2013 13:25:27 +0000http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=401049If you are in Cyprus, your life's savings hangs in the balance, as the government deliberates a controversial €10 billion bailout agreement reached with the Eurogroup that puts the country's saving deposits down as collateral.

The unprecedented bailout measure threatens to snatch €5.8 billion from all savers in the country. Cypriots have had no access to their bank accounts ever since the government entered into the agreement on Saturday, March 16, 2013 and put all accounts on lockdown to avoid a bank run or a series of account withdrawals.

Leading up to the shock announcement, concern and uncertainity was abound among Twitter users in Cyprus:

@ktrnstefanou: And I was looking at the dictionary to find the meaning of “watertight”, mentioned in [Christine] Lagarde‘s announcement. Probably it means “left out in the cold [water]”

The most prominent feeling was the uncertainty on whether the night would end with a successful agreement or not:

‏@nchrysoloras: Official 1: “We don't yet have a DSA, but I believe we will by tonight” Official 2: “There is progress. Let's see”. #Cyprus #Eurogroup

At 2:00-3:00 a.m. in the morning, there were references about a “haircut” on bank deposits to use that as collateral for the bailout, and rumors that President Nicos Anastasiades had threatened to abandon all negotiations. While those were happening, Cyprus was in a carnival mood – the shock would come the next day:

@ZENONZINDILIS: What were the Cypriots doing the night their future was on stake? #eurogroup They were preparing for carnival fun and generally “they didn't give a fuck” [idiom in Cypriot Greek]

The next day's reactions varied from anger and indignation to stoic acceptance. In social media platforms and mainstream media, the debate on whether the Parliament must approve the haircut plan or not remains and both sides have their own strong arguments; however, the true nature of people's uncertainty is that nobody knows the real consequences of each choice:

@antistrofos: I was not in the mood to criticize him [President Anastasiades] till we see his opus. I got a flash response: Ineligible dinosaur, a Christofias “copy-paste” [the previous President of Cyprus]

@SkonteBlogspot: I also voted for Nicos [Anastasiades], but all those who did it, thinking he will triumph over the Europeans and the Troika, are deeply benighted

@JamesKerLindsay: Probably a good thing that Google Translate can't get its head around Cypriot Greek this morning!

Apart from the government's point of view and many citizens’ objection to Eurogroup's presumed blackmail, there is also a third approach in Cyprus, summarized in a post by blogger Strovoliotis, who supports the memorandum approval by Parliament from an oppositional point of view:

@Strovoliotis: I was saying all this from the very beginning, but now it doesn't even matter. The key: be calm!

As expected, the anti-Eurogroup statements that “no deposits’ haircut is going to happen” by President Anastasiades and Minister of Finance, Michael Sarris, were especially popular around the Cypriot and Greek-speaking web in general.

As the Monday parliamentary vote process was approaching, there were gradually more and more arguments that the unprecedented Eurozone's ministers’ decision is bad for the European Union. Many Cypriot social media users shared this article from the Economist:

@StavrosZenios: And do you want the Economist to tell you the obvious? The Cyprus bail-out: Unfair, short-sighted and self-defeating-The Economist http://econ.st/Yijtsv

On Tuesday, March 19, the government's request to suspend all bank operations is being interpreted as an effort to emphasize the rigid nature of the Cypriot economy. Α possible bank run (domino of bank withdrawals) in Spain and other countries is already being considered a probable outcome:

‏@offshorebella: if they can do this to Cypriots they can do it anywhere. I reckon putting your money under the mattress is safer. #Cyprus #bankrun

]]>http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/03/08/photo-no-chavez-in-greek-politics/feed/039.0742073 21.8243122Greece: Corruption, Police State and Struggle in Skourieshttp://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/03/07/greece-corruption-police-state-and-struggle-in-skouries/
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/03/07/greece-corruption-police-state-and-struggle-in-skouries/#commentsThu, 07 Mar 2013 19:35:52 +0000http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=397526In the Skouries region of Chalkidiki, Northern Greece, Canadian company Eldorado Gold obtained mining rights for the Kakkavos Mountain gold through its Greek subsidiary, Hellenic Gold, after a controversial transfer process in 2004. Local residents have been opposed to the company owing the mining rights during the last decade. Ierissos city feels like a police state, and many suspicious events are taking place.

The surrounding forest, which will be destroyed as per 0.4% (according to the company's research), is one of the rarest European primordial forests; moreover there is likely to be significant danger to the health of nearby residents. The company's environmental impact report is deficient [el], according to Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

The mining rights purchase was orchestrated with the assistance of Greek politicians, some of whom have recently been involved in corruption scandals. Among them are Christos Pachtas [el], the former Deputy Minister of National Economy and now the Mayor of Aristotelis Municipality, and George Papakonstantinou, the former Minister of Finance and Minister of Environment. Greek media magnate George Bobolas also played a key role through his construction company, AKTOR.

With Kassandra Mines as its main asset, purchased for 11 million euros on the eve of the 2004 national elections under PM Costas Simitis, the company [AKTOR] was valued at 1.8 billion euros. […] Kassandra Mines were bestowed for a mess of pottage to Hellenic Gold, which was even relieved of transfer tax payment

When the European Union asked Hellenic Gold to return 15.5 million euros to the Greek state, Mr. Papakonstantinou, then the Minister of Environment, appealed to the European Court, so that the private entities involved wouldn't have to pay the 15.5 million to the state

Recently, Hellenic Gold has increased mining activity due to a price hike for the precious mineral, and the resistance by local residents has grown even stronger. The case has grown big nationally and public opinion sides with locals. The same is true in the Greek twittersphere under the hashtag #skouries.

Greek mainstream media reported that unknown people doused security guards in petrol, but this hasn't been confirmed. On the contrary, Polygyros Hospital, where the guards were transferred, said they had only seen abrasions and superficial wounds. But the company didn't only suffer these damages. Its sharemarket value plunged the very same day, as cited by @northaura via the following chart:

The day after the arson attack, police detained 27 people who were later released. The detentions continued in the following days as well; several local residents were detained singly or in pairs and were subjected to a DNA test. As @freenet eloquently says:

In Skouries, an extensive operation of residents’ DNA collection and profiling has been taking place during the last days #skouries

These police tactics have earned intense criticism by citizens and legal experts as a flagrant violation of human rights. Taking DNA samples is not legal without charges. According to the Hellenic Mining Watch blog, which plays a key role in activism and updates on the case, the situation is spinning out of control [el].

While all this happened in Chalkidiki, numerous mainstream Greek media followed a special defensive line in favor of the company. This came as no surprise since Hellenic Gold spends big money on media advertising for positive publicity on its investment. A chief example is a publication by popular newspaper Proto Thema (First Issue), which correlates the actions in Chalkidiki with terrorism.

The residents didn't give up. On Sunday, a peaceful demonstration against the gold mines took place in Megali Panagia, one of the closest villages near Kakkavos Mountain, organized by thousands of local residents, groups, and parties supporting the villagers’ struggle.

The demonstration had the form of a press conference open to anyone interested and succeeded in attendance and dissemination of residents’ message to the public. Unprecedented, though, were the measures taken by Greek Police, sending hundreds of police officers for fear of violent incidents. Police officers kept their distance from the protesters and were reportedly checking license plates. The speakers described the events, the unprecedented security measures and also the course of their litigation with the company. The last to speak were two women who were among the 40 detained [to date], one of whom described her shocking experience [el]:

Police entered our houses aggresively and with no respect. The day before yesterday, the prosecutor came in for my detention; as a result my child was scared.

Thousands of residents in a demonstration at Megali Panagia village, 24.2.2013. Photo by author Andreas Kakaris

Citizen journalists were also at the demonstration, which they covered by all means possible, multilingually and with objectivity, taking the place of the traditional media who were conspicuous by their absence. As Professor of Political Economy Nikos Smyrnaios remarked in a his research on coverage of the case on Twitter [el]:

communities formed in Twitter are able to operate autonomously across the news spectrum, from the production of primary news update till fact-checking and news dissemination without any journalist's participation.

All speeches appear in the following video, edited and uploaded by iosifsk on his Youtube channel:

Tension continues to reign in the area. Given the severity of the situation, we will return to the case, should more news emerge.

In a significant boost to youth employment, the government will decide during the coming weeks about the lifting of taxes (social security, health and personal income tax) and expenses of new trainings of those employed in the private sector. We keep our promises!

The Albanian PM Sali Berisha made this statement [sq] on his public Facebook page on February 10, 2013 [sq].(more…)

]]>http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/01/17/photo-journey-through-the-spine-of-greece/feed/040.0000000 20.7500000A Traveling Exhibition to Expose Police Violence in Greecehttp://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/11/26/a-traveling-exhibition-to-expose-police-violence-in-greece/
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/11/26/a-traveling-exhibition-to-expose-police-violence-in-greece/#commentsMon, 26 Nov 2012 18:50:50 +0000http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=370681A small team of Greeks in Zurich decided to expose Greek police brutality with a traveling photo exhibition in various European capitals. @Ypopto_mousi tweets a link to a poster in his blog, [el] which gives more information on his friends’ effort to bring this project to life, as well as a police violence case summary.